


Breathtaking Display

by literaryoblivion



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Fireworks, Fluff, Fourth of July, Kissing, M/M, Summer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-18
Updated: 2016-04-18
Packaged: 2018-06-03 03:27:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6594766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/literaryoblivion/pseuds/literaryoblivion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“How is July fourth different here than anywhere else?” Jack asks, feigning innocence. He knows full well what normally happens in America on its independence day, but he likes seeing Bitty get all flustered and excited to explain it to him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Breathtaking Display

**Author's Note:**

> First off this takes place during the summer before the Junior Year starts and is based solely on [this](http://41.media.tumblr.com/ffe9b2bb86c71fab66471a0124a08df7/tumblr_o5hjk4IOBg1szaospo3_1280.png) panel.
> 
> Second off, this is my first ever fic in this fandom and for this pairing, and it took a lot of encouragement from a few wonderful people to convince me to write it and finish it because I was nervous about it. So I hope you enjoy it and if not please be kind. :)

“How is July fourth different here than anywhere else?” Jack asks, feigning innocence. He knows full well what normally happens in America on its independence day, but he likes seeing Bitty get all flustered and excited to explain it to him.

“Good Lord, Jack! You know exactly how it’s different!” Bitty shouts, shoving Jack in the shoulder playfully.

Jack shrugs. “You should tell me anyway,” Jack says, a faint smile playing on his lips as he scoots closer to Bitty to nudge his shoulder with his own. He ignores the ridges of the flatbed truck digging into his butt and the screw he’s now sitting on since he moved closer.

It’s cool out--something Bitty says is a rarity in July in Georgia, so Jack should enjoy it while he can--and the sun is mostly set now, the sky fading from purple to a dark blue. They are somewhere remote, Bitty had told him where earlier, but he can’t quite remember, too caught up in the smile on Bitty’s face and the excitement thrumming through him at the thought of showing Jack some of his favorite places.

Where they are now is the last on Bitty’s list, last because it’s the most special. Bitty had told him this is where he would go to hide from bullies, his dad, his responsibilities, so he could just be alone and actually feel like himself. To an outside observer, there’s nothing significant about the area. There’s a small grove of trees to the side, and there’s hills and forest in the distance. The whole area is grassy, and the nearest paved road is a few miles away.

As the sun continues its descent, the breeze picks up and the crickets somehow get louder than before. It’s nice though, being outside with Bitty and having him share a piece of himself with Jack. It makes Jack feel special, important.

Things have been interesting, mostly in a good way, while he’s been visiting Bitty in his home. Bitty’s dad took to Jack quickly, talking about hockey and players and gladly explaining the intricacies of playing football to Jack. Bitty’s parents think Jack is just Bitty’s friend, and although he and Bitty both know he’s more than that, it’s better for everyone if no one else knows that. It’s why Bitty has taken Jack here, not only for Jack to get to know Bitty a little more, but so they can be alone together as something more than just friends.

“There’s fireworks and parades. As for us, Coach always barbeques, claims no one can make ribs like he does. Mama always makes at least five different pies; I help, of course. Sometimes if it’s hot enough we’ll take everything to the lake and make a day of it. Coach will inevitably want to go fishin’ though if we do.”

“Do you invite people?” Jack asks when Bitty goes silent, as if he’s imagining the torture of fishing with his father will be.

Bitty shrugs, his arm rubbing against Jack’s when he does. “Depends. This year Coach might invite some of his co-workers and their families because he’ll want to show off to you.” He’s wrapped his arms around himself, and his voice is softer as he stares down at his feet.

“I’m sorry,” Jack says.

Bitty looks up at him, brows furrowed in confusion. “What for?”

“About your dad wanting to… show off to me.”

Bitty rolls his eyes and shoves Jack’s shoulder again, this time though he stays leaning against him instead of sitting back up, and Jack wraps his arm around Bitty to pull him in more snuggly.

“There’s nothing to apologize for. It’s not your fault, honey. It’s just how Coach is. I’m glad he likes you, actually. It might make it easier when we… It might be easier.”

He doesn’t say it, but he doesn’t have to. Jack knows exactly what he’s talking about, and although he doesn’t know when it’ll happen--when he’ll come out, when Bitty will tell his parents, when they’ll announce to others that they are boyfriends and not just friends--he hopes for Bitty’s sake that it is easier. That the transition between Bitty’s dad seeing him as Jack, Bitty’s friend, to Jack, Bitty’s boyfriend, will be smooth and not filled with tears and anger and resentment. 

Jack leans over and kisses the top of Bitty’s head. “I haven’t seen fireworks since I was little.” He hopes that changing the subject will improve Bitty’s mood. He doesn’t want Bitty’s special place soured by stressful, sad thoughts.

“It’s not fourth of July without fireworks. They put on a pretty good show here, set to music and everything. One of the local radio stations broadcasts it. They shoot them off just over that ridge,” Bitty says, pointing to the line of trees and hills in the distance.

“So we could see them from here?”

Bitty tilts his head up to give Jack a grin. “Definitely. The radio might be a bit fuzzy this far, but the view would be great.”

Because he can, Jack kisses Bitty, reveling in the softness of his lips, savoring the feeling of kissing him not only because they don’t have many moments alone but because soon he’ll be far away from Bitty and won’t be near him at all.

“Your parents won’t be upset if we don’t watch it with them, eh?” Jack says against Bitty’s lips.

Bitty, whose eyes are still closed, shakes his head, his nose brushing Jack’s. “Coach will be too drunk by then to notice, and Mama won’t mind.”

Jack nods, kisses Bitty again, slow and sweet, before wrapping his arms around him tighter and letting Bitty get comfortable against him. They sit there in silence for a while longer, cuddled up against each other, hands clasped and fingers intertwined.

“I’m really glad you’re here,” Bitty whispers.

Jack gives him a squeeze. “Me, too.”

~

July fourth pans out much like Bitty said it would. They go to the local parade in the morning, mainly because Bitty’s dad is in it along with his high school football team. Jack ends up holding a little girl he doesn’t know, who turns out to be one of the Bittles’ neighbors, on his shoulders so she can see better, and he nearly misses the look of fondness and happiness on Bitty’s face at the action because he’s so caught up in the excitement.

They don’t end up going to the lake, which Jack can tell Bitty is secretly relieved about, but they do end up spending the day at the neighbors’ who had the little girl. They have a pool, and Jack and Bitty spend most of their time playing with the little girl and her older brother in it. Most of the time, Jack tries to control his emotions at seeing Bitty all wet and dripping, eyelashes clumped together and skin turning pink because he’d gone too long without reapplying his sunscreen.

The food is delicious, the pies even more so, which Jack was expecting, but he thanks the Bittles and the neighbors for the good food and hospitality. When dusk hits, Bitty makes apologies for them both, telling them they need to change and dry off so Bitty can take Jack to see the fireworks “so he can get the full American Independence Day experience.” His parents wave them off and tell them to have fun and go back to talking with their friends.

When they are finally back at the spot they were before, Bitty’s special spot, Jack pulls Bitty into him again, and Bitty falls into his embrace easily. They’ve still got a little time before the show starts since it hasn’t quite gotten dark enough yet, but Jack doesn’t mind. In fact they end up making out a little because Jack tells Bitty how hot he looked when he came out of the pool, and Jack finds he likes the blush the comment produces and wants to kiss Bitty to see if it grows.

Before they can get too lost in each other though, Bitty pushes him back, saying it’s nearly time and climbs out of the back of the borrowed truck to turn on the radio and tune it to the right station. Once he’s satisfied enough, he climbs back into the truck and into Jack’s lap.

The music starts and in the distance flashes of light begin, and both boys sit back leaning against each other and the truck, watching in amusement. Every now and then Jack can feel Bitty’s eyes on him, checking if he saw a particularly bright display or how he’s enjoying the show. Every time, Jack gives Bitty a squeeze and a peck on the top of his head as they both go back to watching.

It’s beautiful and mesmerizing, Jack will admit, but if he’s honest, as much as the firework display is breathtaking, watching it with Bitty, having him next to him, sharing the moment with him as they hold each other and relax in what he hopes Bitty will start to consider their spot instead of his alone, that is worth more than a thousand firework shows. 

It’s not the fireworks that take his breath away. It’s Bitty. And even though this is new and early, he knows it’s always going to be Bitty who takes his breath away. Every time.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on my [my tumblr](http://literaryoblivion.tumblr.com) or [my twitter](http://twitter.com/lit_oblivion).


End file.
